Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-12-30
no. 80.

n
animal as they did Romulus The Od Nick
must have got into them But there have
been time, when they was real good Now.
last April when I had that bilious turn,
it wa, Bobby who spent half a day diggin'
yaller. dock and dandclion roots for me and
Roger brought me three or four messes Of
fish too Wen. don't know -hesitating-
lv--"but do believe I'll try new tack
with them boys won't say nothing about
their prauks but I'll Jest invite 'em all over
here to duucr tomorrow Mebbe it's fool
ish but it's the last day Of the old year, an
somehow ! don't feel like bearin' malice.
My own trouble has made me feel as meek
as a smashed June-bug. P'raps the boys1
be more sorry than if l went over nd give
'em iawin' Scriptur' tells us to heap
Goals of fire on our enemy's head nd l
guess I'll try nd see how it works in this
case. Scat Thomas Henry there you be
with your whiskers in the mug Of milk
Haint You no manners after all my train
in, too
While hunting for her wraps in the clos
ct. preparatory to her call on the Widow
Chauncy, Miss Trypheua happened to take
down am old coat instead of the waterproof.
Whats this 3" she muttered, bringing it
out to the light ooh Ebenezer's old coat
the very one he wore ON that last night.
hate the sight of it meant to sell it to
Hank Shaver for rags, but he does cheat so
that wouldn't get much out of it anyhow.
Believe I'll take it over to the widder. She
can make something out of it for Bobby.
'Tain't no good here, breedin' moths nd
givin' me the horrors every time | look at
it. In less than ten minutes Miss Tryphe-
ma had reached the Widow Chauncy's dom
icile. No snug, weather tight little dwell
ing was this. but instead, BARN like struc-
ture through which the wind whistled with
fiendish glee. There were no blinds, and
the faded curtain not having been let dowL
Miss Tryphena had full view of the inte-
rior one dim tallow candle spluttered on
the deal table, around which sat Mrs. Chaun-
cy and her boys, partaking of their even
ing repast. 4 most meagre meal it was,
indeed coarse bread spread with "A faint
suggestion Of molasses, weak tea minus SUI
gar and milk, salt fish, and a few potatoes
Il say, ma cried Roger, chow much
:.cat will thirty cents buy That's what
got for shoveng snow this afternoon.
Can't have a regular bang up dinner to
morrow
"Well, "roi i his mother, meditatively,
81 can get IA shiu beef for fifteen cents
that'll make lot CUP. And witt. the
rest I'll get some apples spice, and we
can have some dumplings
'Dumplings Hi thatll u. lly, won't
it, Bob =
Hush Z" said his mother, warn. ";
somebody knocked.
Good evenin'. Mis- Chauncy, said Miss
Tryphena, entering. " No, | cant set
down-must hurry back Left all the
draught, turned on my stove, nd it'll he
- Gpnh7. 'ay- N hale n ho"r. | only
ppm hot - ie-. --..i .l."- 'hinkin'
run over to bring YOU this coat, IA
you could fix it for one of the boys Oh
yes md I'll like 10 have you nd the boys
come over nd take dinner with me to-
morrow-New Years, YOU know
Mrs. Chauncy looked fustered but highly
pleased, while the boys slunk sheepishly
into the corner.
TO be sure well come, and many thanks,
Mis-, Pheny said the former. at last re
covering her wits Its very kind Of you,
I'm sure-very kind indeed
Early next morning Miss Tryphena was
busy at work Soon her CHEEKY little kitch
Ell was redolent with roasting chicken, plum
pudding and spicy pies and cakes. At two
o'clock the widow and her boys arrived, all
with faces as clean and shining as soap and
water could make them Cleanly attired,
too, although their garments were patched
and worn
Say, Miss Pheny," said Roger in a low
whisper, as he hung his cap in the entry,
please, Bob nd is awful sorry cause
'cause-we hung Romulus. You see, we
was only playing he was Guiteau, nd we
didn't think we'd kill the critter-no, not
one bit But before we knew it he gave
one squawk nd flop. nd then he was a gon-
er Then some of the school-boys come
along. nd they drove us away nd put some
writin' on him; nd then they went away
laughn' as if they'd bust themselves. We
was too fraid to tell you what we'd done
but | says to Bob last night, says i amt
goin to set down to the table nd eat with
Miss Pheny till she knows what we We done !
So. Miss Pheny. if you want to send us
home, Jest do it right away-it d serve us
right Only"-with little choke in his
voice only, please let ma stay-she don't
get anything good to eat very often
Send you home-indeed won't 80 said
the hostess. I'll let bygones be bygones
this time. But, Roger -gravely ly-'you nd
Bob must try to be better, for your poor
dear mas sake, if for nothin' else
of course the Chauncys enjoyed their
dinner They hadn't had anything so nice
in a long time The widow felt quite inn
pressed by the china teacups with pink ros-
es on them, and the spoons of real solid
silver, marked IT. II. So aristocratic -
she thought After the things were wash
ed up and the boys went out to make a
snow man, the women sat down to their
sewing
You see | brought the coat along, Miss
Pheny,' observed the widow, and she add
ed apologeticallv: Il wanted to get it
fixed as soon as | could, for Roger needs it
like everything, the weathers taken such
a sudden turn.
That's so: he needs it now if he ever
does, said her hostess. And as ! hain't
nothin' perticular to do this afternoon, I'll
Jest set to work ON it. too.
Working on one garment generally makes
women sociable, and ere long Miss Tryphe-
ma and her guest were in Il high tide of
mutual condolences The former was just
giving a most interesting account of her in
terview with Squire Flint, when a sudden
exclamation from the widow caused her to
pause.
"Good gracious sakes alive what's this
slipped down in the linin' ! thought at
first twas "A chunk of cotton waddm but
| land Miss Pheny, t amt waddn', it's
money-yes money" and with eyes nearly
the dimensions of the blue tea -saucers, Mrs.
Chauncy held out a roll of bills.
Land % Goshen ~ screamed Miss Try
phena, Its Ebenezer's money-the money
he had to pay off the mortgage with And
he didn't gamble it away, and he wasn't
robbed What a merciful Provi-' -
| Miss Tryphena tainted away for
| time in her siXty-five years.
When she "came TO, she foun
| lying ON the chintz-covered lou
Roger pouring "A tumbler of
| down her back, Bob pressing th
/ bottle against her left eye, and
| holding a bunch of burnt feat U..
nose while Thomas Henry-th, ..a....i
wretch taking advantage of
| sion, was climbing up the curt, ,.
endeavor to get at the canary.
The money ~ gasped Miss
ITS all right, poor dear. 5
| that / didn't snip it to piec
shears, said the widow.
It's mercy that didn't
ragman leehly. I'm so gli
my mind and had you here to
| dear me its coats Of fre-c0
"No, faint hastily int,
| widow; Its only cold waterl
ing down your back. Stop,
you see she's come to Jest
that cat, Bobby dear There,
drink this you'll be all right
or two. I'm so glad ! found
| You We made uS such a happy
that it's no wonder the Lord i.
make yours happy, too Mo
| h christian at work.